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Ramblings, Confessions, and Curries

Friday could not have come sooner! I’m not doing a discoveries post today. Why? Honestly, I’m really not feeling it. So excuse the random ramblings and contents of this post. Oh, and there’s a recipe at the end.

Despite the shortened week, I was again thrown off but the change in routine. After being really busy for a while, I have an incredibly hard time with breaks that do not involve a change of environment. That probably doesn’t make much sense – I’ll try to be as coherent as I can here. If a vacation involves travel, I’m more inclined to use the time to enjoy myself. If I don’t go anywhere, I am not at all good at making good use of my time. There is too much free time to get work done, nobody around to hang out with, and not really enough time or money to do anything crazy. So this past week was rather unproductive, and now I have so much work to do within the next week or two. Stress = not good!

this round of nut pulp cookies were bad. sadness.

Despite this, I had an awesome week fitness-wise! One thing I love about days off is that I can get to the gym early, before I do anything else with the day. I love starting days this way. I’m really starting to like running now, as well! I owe a huge thanks to Tara, who (a while ago) kindly sent me some awesome tips for beginning runners. Thanks again! I’m trying to focus on form as much as I can, to avoid getting hurt, so I’m taking all the advice I can get.

confession – i eat my meal salads out of large mixing bowls

My running this week: monday 3 miles, Wednesday 20 minute HIIT run, friday 3.5 miles nonstop! I’m proud of myself for today’s run, as I took no walk breaks. My pace makes me a little sad, at about 11:00 mins/mile – but I didn’t stop to walk at all. I have to remind myself that I’m not a born runner. I won’t be perfect from the start.

current beverage obsession. Just have to remember not to drink it after 5pm, or I definitely wont sleep

I had a whole bunch of other things to write, but there are too many things going on now that I lost my train of thought. A few nights this week I’ve even had to get out of bed at 4am just to make a list, so I can sleep! Hey brain, you want to turn off at night? Thanks.

As far as eats go, things have been all over the place. I think mostly because of my workout changes, routine changes, and stress. But, no crazy slip-ups and guilt trips, so I think I’m okay for now. On the topic of eats, I posted a homemade coconut curry as part of my WIAW and a few people asked for a recipe. So here it is!

This one-pot meal is super easy to make, and near impossible to mess up. It's nutrient-rich, high in protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. You can use the ingredients I have here, or choose whatever veggies or grains you choose. It even tastes fantastic the day after, perfect for planned leftovers.

Ingredients

2-3 cups cooked quinoa (measured after cooking!)

1 can chickpeas, drained

1 can coconut milk

1 eggplant, cubed

2 cups brussels sprouts

1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped

a few handfuls of spinach

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, I like spicy)

1tsp garam masala, or cinnamon

1tsp salt, to taste

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.

While the oven is heating, chop up all your veggies. Toss all the veggies (except the spinach) in a bowl with a little olive oil and sea salt, then spread on a pan in a single layer.

Roast for about 30-40 minutes, or until they are tender and start to brown.

Place all ingredients in a pot. Stir it up, and bring to a boil.

Immediately reduce to a simmer, cover, and let cook for about 20 minutes - or as long as you like. The longer it cooks, the more the flavors will combine, but it tastes delicious regardless.

Serve hot, or store in the fridge for the next few days.

Garnish with shredded coconut or some cashews or peanuts for crunch. This would also be great with a creamy glob of greek yogurt.

Notes

I used lite coconut milk as it was all I had on hand. Full fat would be delicious, but It would come out much creamier than mine did. Also, be careful with the cayenne pepper, this stuff is strong - I like my curry really spicy

That was a rather long post, kudos if you made it through the whole thing! I’m already up later that I should be for an early morning rehearsal on campus. Good sleep is not easy to come by around here.

Do you have any random foodie confessions/weird habits?

If you’re a runner, what was your average pace for an easy run when you started?

[[Oh! One more thing – I have 16oz package of Navitas Naturals Maca powder that I am not going to use. It is open, and about 1-2T have been used, but I’m not really a big fan of the taste, and I have not noticed a difference in how it makes me feel, so I’m not going to use it anymore. I hate to have to throw it out but I can’t return it. Does anyone out there want to do a swap? I’ll thrown in some other goodies too – just shoot me an email at eatlearndiscover@gmail.com ]]

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6 thoughts on “Ramblings, Confessions, and Curries”

I need a change of environment too in order to have a relaxing break. That’s why I’m glad I decided to go home for fall break instead of staying at school. I’ve still been doing hw anyway, but it’s mixed up with fun stuff so I don’t mind so much.
That coconut chai green tea looks great! I’ve tried the black tea version and it’s one of my favorites.
Banana dipped in coffee–interesting. But I love banana + coffee together, so I’ll have to try this.

I will have to try that banana and coffee sounds delicious! and I was like that in school, not being used to breaks and then just stressed to the core with things to do! good luck with it all!! and curry is a great spice, love it too!

I know exactly what you mean about having time off at home – I’m busier than when I’m at work!
That coconut chai green tea looks fab and I quite like the idea of dipping bananas in coffee
I’ve got an opened pouch of barleygrass and some plain hemp protein powder if you want to swap those – but I’m in the UK so might be a bit more of a mission!

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Hi, I'm Rachel! I'm a 20-something city girl with a passion for staying fit, eating well, learning how the world works, and exploring. I'm a born foodie, but like to share an occasional workout, travel, or eco living post. Thanks for stopping by! And feel free to email me at eatlearndiscover[at]gmail[dot]com.